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Soaplore
Ever wondered what you missed out on before the golden age of streaming? Welcome to Soaplore, the podcast where we dive headfirst into the wonderfully over-the-top world of vintage soap operas from the 80s and 90s. I’m Jett, a TV-loving Millennial who’s finally escaping the monotony of modern shows and embracing the drama, the shoulder pads, and the catfights of yesteryear.
Join me as I experience the soapy sagas of "Dynasty," "Dallas," "Falcon Crest," and "Knots Landing" for the first time, episode by episode. With over 200 shows, we’ll laugh, we’ll cry, and we’ll probably question our life choices—just like the characters do, but with slightly less fabulous wardrobes.
Whether you’re a Xillenial who grew up with these iconic series, a Millennial like me who missed out the first time around, or a new fan discovering the glorious chaos of primetime soaps, "Soaplore" is your time machine to the melodramatic past. Tune in, relive the magic, and let’s marvel together at how people ever survived without binge-watching.
Pour yourself a glass of something strong, because, trust me, you’ll need it. This isn’t just nostalgia; this is Soaplore—where every episode is a rollercoaster of emotions, and nothing is ever as it seems.
Soaplore
S3 EP13 Knots Landing: Reunion-The:" Devil Wears DRAMA 'Episode
Female friendship takes center stage in "Reunions," as Karen welcomes her college friend Victoria, now a high-powered fashion designer, into the cul-de-sac. What begins as a warm reunion quickly transforms into a complex exploration of roads not taken, as Victoria offers Karen a job opportunity in New York that could completely transform her life as a widow. The episode masterfully examines the subtle tensions between women who've chosen drastically different paths. Victoria's glamorous career represents everything Karen once dreamed of achieving, while Karen's deep community connections and loving family spark unexpected jealousy in her seemingly successful friend. Their confrontation brings raw honesty about success, sacrifice, and what truly constitutes a fulfilling life. Meanwhile, Laura drops a bombshell when we discover she's been having an affair with a man named Scooter and plans to leave Richard entirely. Her cool determination shows a woman confidently pursuing her own happiness, until an unexpected pregnancy complicates everything. The writers treat this storyline with remarkable nuance for early 1980s television, avoiding easy moral judgments. Abby continues her masterful manipulations, attempting to seduce Gary into helping her acquire Karen's car dealership for her methane car business. Their scenes crackle with unresolved tension as Gary tries—and ultimately fails—to maintain professional boundaries. When he admits "I didn't say stop," viewers see his fundamental weakness where Abby is concerned. The episode culminates in a fashion show benefiting battered women, bringing all our cul-de-sac neighbors together in a sequence that balances humor, community connection, and meaningful social commentary. Karen's powerful declaration that "if one woman isn't free, then none of us are free" captures the progressive heart beating beneath the soapy exterior. What makes Knots Landing so compelling all these years later is its honest portrayal of women navigating complex choices about career, family, and independence. Diana's realization of her mother's strength—choosing family without resentment—offers a touching resolution that honors multiple perspectives instead of suggesting one right path. Have you experienced a reunion that made you question your life choices? Share your thoughts in the comments below and subscribe for more vintage soap opera analysis that proves the best dramas are timeless!
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome, or welcome back to SoFlorid, the official gathering place for newbies, novices and OG diehard fans of the golden age of primetime. I'm your host, jeb, viewing and reviewing the Sylvia Sedgwick's primetime storyline of 1981. So, whether you're new to this or true to this, get back and enjoy. Tell the kids it's time to play outside, or, out of sight, tell babe no questions, suggestions or concerns For the next 25 to 35 minutes. Everyone else in airshot, cool, quiet or kicked out Are your only options, because we are watching our stories. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, this is the floor. Hello, gorgeous, I hope your day is shaping up well.
Speaker 1:Mine is Just to do absolutely nothing. I'm still recovering. My social battery is a little bit drained, like I like people, I really do. But also, if I do more than like five things in a week, maybe I need a few days. I need like two weeks to recover, honestly. But the only thing I have on the agenda tonight, now that all of the things are out of the way, is I'm gonna catch up on some vintage primetime soap opery back with Knott's Landing. I am gonna shuffle it around this week a little bit. I feel like having a little bit more fun. I definitely need some camp. I'm curious about Dallas. I feel like we can go ahead and get that done, since they're closer to the end of their season and everything is starting to warm up. Knottance Landing is. You know. I'm liking the pacing. The hit is really hard at first. Now they're just kind of feathering in stuff.
Speaker 1:This episode, I'm going to be quite honest with you. I have fast forwarded it to the two minute mark because I will not make the same mistake twice. I won't do it. However, in the same breath, this is going to be a sort of watch with me. I'm going to watch, I'm going to try to watch 20 minutes at a time and then give commentary so that it's a more just kind of in the moment reaction. Last time I did that, I messed around and got my feelings hurt, so I can't really call that a mistake. It was just like wow, I just didn't see that coming. I also want to clear up something that I said on the last episode.
Speaker 1:You may or may not have been a fan of 90210. For those of you new to this podcast, that was my first ever primetime soap opera. That was like strictly just mine, far too young to be watching it, love it nonetheless and I re-watched it. I re-watched some of it. I didn't get all the way through. I think I got to like season five right around when Val the other was it Valerie? When Valerie shows up, anyway, I can't I digress.
Speaker 1:I mentioned Brenda, kelly and Dylan yesterday. I'm not gonna work myself up. I will always and forever be a team Brenda girl. However, I do need to be very clear about something. I held a lot of animosity for Kelly. I don't think I gave Dylan the proper smoke that he actually deserved back in the day. I was way too young to fully understand that and plus I liked him in other shows, so I can admit my view of him was skewed. Plus, I really cared more about David and Brandon than anybody else. However, I would like to go on record and say that Dylan was 100% the villain and the aggressor in that entire situation. Nobody was perfect. Brenda had made her mistakes. Kelly tried her best to resist, but she didn't. She didn't. Then I'm supposed to celebrate their union. I won't. I never have and I never will. However, I can admit Dylan was the biggest villain. Villain. Dylan was actually a terrible boyfriend. When you think about it. That's a show for a whole nother topic, that's a whole nother day.
Speaker 1:If you've never seen 90210, I'd like to make two suggestions. Number one, please get somewhere and sit down and watch it. I think you will enjoy it. I think you will enjoy, enjoy it. I'm trying to think of any other sort of teeny bopper soap operas I watched and I was what's that one with One Tree Hill and the one with Joe from you, what one was that? The Gossip Girl, stuff like that. Like I guess, if, guess, if you like stuff like that, I think you'll like 90210. It is more from the 90s. I feel like it's a little grittier. I loved it, still love it. I hadn't seen it in a few years. But I would, number one, suggest that you get somewhere, sit down, make it happen. And then I want you to go and visit televisionofyorecom. They and visit televisionofyorecom. They do a really, really great recap of those shows. I hadn't really got into 90210 over there I did do, like the Dawson's Creek and a couple other Sex and the City, just really hilarious takes on these shows. So check that out.
Speaker 1:And then you tell me, was Dylan the villain? Dylan was 150% the villain. He was a terrible boyfriend. We would use the word toxic today. I guarantee you, if that had played out in 2025, it would go the exact, I promise you, the exact same way. Only Brenda would have found out much, much earlier, because it would have been online somewhere, she would have caught him texting or they would have been together and she would have heard the phone. Cell phones change up a lot of things, but what is not changing is my plan we're going to jump into Knott's Landing.
Speaker 1:I have made the fast forwarded to the two minute mark because I'm not about to play myself, but I do know that this episode is called Reunions. Had to rewind just a little bit. Okay, let me calm down because they're talking. Let's watch a little bit and see what we think of season three, episode 13, reunion. I've been a little relentless with Dynasty on this, but I don't mind. A good explanation right at the beginning of a show. This isn't a memory. Dynasty will be like yeah, do you remember when I fell in love with you 14 years ago? Okay, sure, sure, I remember that this episode.
Speaker 1:It seems like karen has a home girl who is a high-powered fashion designer. They said victoria hill sounds a lot like um vanderbilt. I guess she makes jeans. Based on Richard's jokes. I'm assuming she makes jeans. Well, who we got? We got Lily Mae. We got the Ewing's. We got just Richard, unless Laura's in the bathroom, I guess. And Diana the boys are still upstairs working on the tie Karen has put out. She set out our hors d'oeuvres, their shrimp. It's like she's being extra fancy, explaining to us that you know this was her home girl from school. They thought they were both going to be famous. She made it, she's hype, she's the most famous fashion designer, but she turns out. Turns out she's. She stood her up because she went to another dinner party and got, I guess, caught up there. So she didn't make it is okay.
Speaker 1:Is I'm struggling here? I can think of gloria vanderbilt. She made jeans, right. We used to shop at montgomery wars. I feel like I wore gloria vanderbilt's before, or? Um, I keep thinking of that rap song with. I've been in the game for 10 years with rapsons, ever since Honey.
Speaker 1:Is it Vidal Sassoon or Sassoon Jeans? Vidal Sassoon sounds familiar, but very wrong. That's shampoo, right? Let me sit down y'all. Let me get somewhere and sit down and watch this. Forget Victoria. Sassoon girl. Laura.
Speaker 1:Oh, my God, laura is in bed with Scooter Girl. Okay, okay, help me remember this, they're good friends, woomty woom. His wife's like, yeah, it's only a matter of time. He's like, no, they seem to have a really good relationship. He wanted something to happen. They made out in the dynasty house but then decided, no, we're not going to do that, because I'm only doing this to get back. If I do this, I want to do this for real. Are we doing this for real? What happened? When did this happen? Did I forget something? Girl, laura and? Oh, okay, let me be quiet and listen.
Speaker 1:This is a mere six minutes and 22 minutes. Six minutes and 22 seconds into the show. Talk about dylan, brenda and kelly all over again. Well, not quite. Let Laura tell it. She and Richard have not spoken a word to each other in two months. Where's this coming from? I mean, they seemed a little annoyed at each other, I mean after the, of course, the hooker fiasco, but it's I don't know. It didn't seem that deep to me, but it wouldn't be the first or 50th time that I missed something. This is very interesting.
Speaker 1:She is confident in bed. She's got her hair tossed back. I don't feel bad, I feel great, I feel free. I'm gonna tell him skipper, scooter, whatever your name is, I'm gonna tell him. And then I'm gonna move out. Scooter's like why don't you just move in with me? She don't want to go from man to man, which I get. You know. This is a new life for her. She wants to continue to sleep with Scooter, but have her own house. Wow, laura's kind of.
Speaker 1:I'm always a little bit fascinated by her because she she's got that no country for old men killer thing going. I'm not calling her a killer, but you just never really know. She's got that same sort of chill smirk on her face. She could be walking in the house to say, hey, richard, our marriage is over. Or hey, richard, I just bought us. I just bought you a new house. You don't know what she's going to say. She doesn't seem very rattled. She didn't give a damn about all them ghosts. She took a picture like hey, there's dead girls in this and kept it moving. She's going to say she doesn't seem very rattled. She didn't give a damn about all them ghosts. She took a picture like hey, there's dead girls in this and kept it moving. She's not gonna let a corpse keep her from her commission and I guess she's not gonna let a flesh and blood husband keep her from her freedom. I'm a little shocked, but I'm shocked that is happening now. That's what I'll say.
Speaker 1:This seems like this should have happened end of season one, because he was horrible. Remember. He was a horrible, terrible person. They've kind of smoothed him over since then. Where he's, I wouldn't say he's lovable, but he's so much more I don't know. He's so much more human. He doesn't seem nearly as brash to me as he did the first couple of seasons, but she ain't trying to hear that. She's like scooter. This is. This is official. Me banging you means it's totally over. I'll get around to telling him as soon as I can.
Speaker 1:Wow, karen's little friend showed up and they just kind of geeked out. It was apparently they're gonna put on a fashion show for the battered women's place k. Karen has convinced Vicky. I'm going to get her name right, I forgot, sorry. Designer friend, I know this woman. I know her as an old woman, though, a hateful old woman. I can't wait till the show is over so I can look her up. I know this lady. She's been on TV quite a bit. But yeah, apparently the girls are going to be models in the show.
Speaker 1:Okay, if you're a parent, have you ever been like wanting to introduce your kid to someone? And normally the kids like fine all day long. But you just happen to catch them at the dealership and you know they're just all. Karen convinces her to um, let her neighbors be the models, because she's like well, you've seen abby. Abby introduced her, made a little snooty comment about her being in college a long time ago, but it was fine. You know whatever karen said. Well, girl, you saw my sister-in-law. She's the ugly one. My, my neighbors are gorgeous. It's gonna be beautiful girl. She drives this woman to her house. I swear to you I would.
Speaker 1:Ginger, valine and lily may I don't know what ginger has around her head. Ginger, look like she just came from the field somewhere, like she's been moving boulders and rocks. What are you doing? She got on her scarf. She looks a little bit dirty. Maybe two names is nowhere in sight. Lily may looks a little run over. Valine just looks like she was jogging.
Speaker 1:I'm not gonna drag her into this, but it's the worst girl I told. I told this woman y'all were beautiful. I have never seen them look even a little bit askew. But now, girl, they didn't come running out the house looking a teetotal fool. Karen still got a big smile on her face by the lord, oh my gosh, telling this woman oh, I love your clothes, I love it, it's so wonderful she's looking like a girl. You know she's gonna go back to her hotel and immediately order six or seven of the flyest models she can find in la. No, absolutely not, karen, absolutely not.
Speaker 1:I can already tell diana's gonna get on my nerves. This episode. She's already gotten on my nerves. She's only been in two or three scenes.
Speaker 1:But let me backtrack a little bit. I think, uh, miss fran lady is kind of a b-o-haw. She's a little rude, not rightfully so. She's like karen girl, I know, I know these aren't your beautiful neighbor models. You said this I models are glamorous. He's like girl, don't even worry about it, they're gonna be fine, I promise you introduces her to the boys and she's like oh, you were this big, you were this big. Kind of mixes them up happens to me all the time. Totally get it. But when Diana comes down the stairs she looks damn near like oh my, what a beautiful girl. Oh, diana, look at you. I haven't seen you since you were 11. I think Diana's like 15, so five years, right, is that so-and-so's design? Diana is all of a sudden a fashion designer.
Speaker 1:Now listen, I know I've gone on and on about the musical score of this season and people trying new things. I am on my high hypocrisy today. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I am aware of my hypocrisy and you know what. It's just like that sometimes everybody has a super secret talent. Now really, diana, 15 year old, chicken cooking. Diana is a uh, an accomplished seamstress. Okay, if you say so, opportunity has presented itself.
Speaker 1:Diana takes friend upstairs. Hey, would you look at my sketches? And diana's just kind of going really on and on and on about I could never be as good as you, blah, blah, blah. But the woman is staring at her in a way like, like longing, not in a not an uncomfortable way, but like I was halfway expecting karen to say yes, I, I took her in as my own. But that can't be right, because when Karen's ex-boyfriend showed up he looked the same way, like, oh, am I missing something? Ladies and gentlemen, is Diana the prototype for the ideal teenage daughter in 1982? I find that extremely difficult to believe. That extremely difficult to believe.
Speaker 1:Anyway, karen and her homegirl, victoria, are having a delicious dinner. Well, victoria's eating. Karen's just kind of sipping her wine by the fire. They're talking about the good old days or what could have been. Victoria seems a little bit tense, I guess that's. You know, this is a friend from back in the day. She knows you in a different way. She knew she knows Karen's, she knew what Karen's hopes and dreams were. She doesn't seem to be judging, but she's judging a little. She's kind of snippy. It's not even giving. I'm from the East Coast. It's just like I'm just kind of a bit. It's kind of a bit, a little bit. We'll see.
Speaker 1:But now Diana is going. Oh gosh, she's bothering this woman. Karen's just trying to eat a piece of sausage in the kitchen. She's rambling on and on. Again, this girl has only talked 15. Diana's tap dancing on my nerves 15 minutes and tip show. There I go, losing focus. I forgot to mention that when they were reminiscing about the good old days, karen and her friend, victoria that is. She offers her a job. She's like girl, okay, come to New York, work for me, sell this house, sell that car dealership, come work for me. Now, this is prompted because they were talking about having a family or having kids or whatever, or basically what they thought they would be at the age they are now.
Speaker 1:Victoria doesn't seem all that impressed with herself, not really. She's like girl, I'm making clothes, I'm not exactly changing the world, and Karen's like I know, but you're doing this. I don't feel like I've ever done anything. That's my whole. I don't feel like I've ever done anything. So you got these wonderful kids, you got Diana, and she's like yeah, but Diana has it so differently, like the clothes even the clothes we wore back in our day versus what Diana can wear and express herself in today is so different, like there's so many opportunities. So I guess it's sort of tugging at the heartstrings of her friend and she's probably, she probably sees some of Karen and Diana. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:So she says girl, I'll create a job for you. I know how you work. Nobody on earth is better organizing than you. You could be a barracuda when you want to be. I will create a position and then that way you can try it and if you you don't succeed, then I mean you have nothing to think about. You know what it could have been. Just like that. He's back on my good side. I knew it. I knew it. I didn't know it. I don't know it. God, so much is happening so quickly, just when Diana I'm like, oh my god, she's getting on my nerve.
Speaker 1:She flips the script and she's like mom, you have an opportunity to work in New York. Do not use myself and my brothers as an excuse. We don't want you to to sacrifice your hopes and dreams for us. We want to see you thrive. If you have the opportunity, mom, take it. Don't sacrifice yourself for us. Do the, do you? I want to see you on the up and up.
Speaker 1:And her friend's looking like let's see, you got a smart kid here. Well, she goes to work here and does, and, uh, gary's in there. And she's like gary, isn't there a guy that tries to buy the, the dealership all the time? And he explains, yeah, every spring, so and so wants to buy it. Um, probably give you a pretty good price.
Speaker 1:Abby comes walking in asking if this is a private conversation. Karen's like not anymore. She explains the situation and Abby's like, oh my god, the girl that is so good. Karen is like okay, so what's in it for you? Why are you so happy? Why do you always think the worst in me? And Karen shrugs like I mean, i't know. It's also worth noting that Abby was not at the opening scene in the dinner, so she was not invited. But Karen's like I'm sorry, okay, thank you for you know, wanting the best for me. And so here I am thinking like wow, that's pretty cool of her.
Speaker 1:No, sooner than I say that, they flip the screen, abby's telling Gary hey, listen, if she sells this, sells this place, we can clear this, this son of a bitch, out, and fill it up with methane cars or booze cars. We can bring the whole operation up from Mexico. Gary, do you see what an opportunity this is? Oh my god, this is such a good opportunity. She says about six times and he's just like now I think I heard him say I think there's another buyer.
Speaker 1:I'm thinking, hey, gary may not flaunt it, but he is wealthy, he has connections. I'm sure he could reach out to his mama or to bobby and be like hey, did y'all want to go? You know, loan me a couple hundred thousand dollars, no problem, it'll be in the bank by the morning. So she's going on and on. Oh my gosh, it's such a great opportunity. And he's like do you even hear yourself right now, or does it just come natural? Mind you, I didn't hear the rest of the sentence, but damn it, gary, this is this. Okay, this to me is more in line. This makes me believe. Okay, it was just caught up in the moment. He can hear this bull. He's it to me.
Speaker 1:I've always thought he didn't really care for her. If he could see through her, let me go on and finish watching this, hopefully. A matter of fact, I'm gonna hide this microphone. I will see y'all or jump back on at the 30 minute mark. We are at 17 minutes and 32 seconds, because I don't trust myself. Y'all. I tried 18 minutes and 20 seconds. I'm not going to be able to do it. They're playing in my face at this point.
Speaker 1:Okay, so plot twist gary's like are you trying to do business? Are you trying to be seductive? I feel like you want me to look at your lips and be like oh, she's so sexy. I'm not here for that, abby, if you want to talk business, we can talk business, and if you want to talk about this business like it's a tryst, then let's do it somewhere better. Let's get in the back seat. We got plenty of back seats here. Oh my god, gary, not you being authoritative, not you taking a stand, not you putting her in her place. Are you serious? Right now?
Speaker 1:Then this fool says we're in business together and, despite what you think, I think with my head. So talk to my head. Okay, you know what I'm? Okay, continue on, gary, and just like that, his ass is on the list again. Damn it, I'm hiding the mic. I'm hiding the mic, doing it. Okay, seriously this time. Sorry, I forgot, I didn't even tell you what he said.
Speaker 1:So she, after he checks or he turns to saunter off and she's like gary in her maryland voice. Do you want me to stop? Actually, no, he says something right before that. He's like at least, when we're talking about work, don't try to be seductive. Then she's Gary. Do you want me to stop? And he goes. I didn't say that. You slut, gary. That is Not even Abby. You know what? Gone somewhere.
Speaker 1:Abby, you can never trust the man who paints on his clothes. I'm telling you he think he fine, fine, he thinks he's god's gift. Okay, oddly enough, I don't know what happened. I recorded the entire program program, entire episode, had it edited. Don't know what happened. Come back and about half of it is gone. But don't you worry, I think this is probably for the best. As much as I enjoy sort of reacting in real time, I don't think I can do it with non-slanding. It is still far too surprising, it is still far too juicy and I just wow. I think this is probably for the best. So let me fill you in.
Speaker 1:It is very clear that, if nothing else, gary is enjoying the extra attention between he and Abby and I don't know. I don't know if it means they're doing something now or if that means he just likes the attention. That that part was very unclear. But one thing that is clear is that all of Karen's neighbors, at least the women folk, are very much in favor of her carrying on in her life and doing well. But this whole New York thing is lingering over the kids and lingering over the home. So as a show progresses, you see that Diana and Victoria are becoming close. It's as if Victoria has kind of put her under her wing. Now Karen calls her Vicky. I will intertwine, interchange Vicky and Victoria. I'm still talking about the same person. But she and Diana are becoming very close.
Speaker 1:And one day Karen comes home after work and Diana and Vicki are in Diana's bedroom putting the finishing touches on this really pretty like green dress, very lovely on her, and they're talking about all the things you can do in New York. And Karen starts to hear this and it's like, okay, yeah, yeah, new York might be okay, let's do this. She gets caught up in the moment and she tells Diana and Vicki yeah, we're gonna do it, we're gonna move to New York. So the word is then put out. Diana, in her excitement, runs to tell her brothers. Now they're shocked like wait, what, where is this coming from? We're moving to New York. Mom didn't even ask us. Diana says listen, I know, but just think about it. Mom doesn't have to ask us anything. We're her children, which the old part of me is like yeah, I respect that, but also a conversation should happen. Diana explains to them listen, mom is moving on with her life. She deserves the opportunity to do something for herself for once. Yes, it is benefiting me, yes, I happen to be on the side of the let's go to New York, but ultimately, what mom wants is what I want, and I think this is what mom wants. So the boys she has wonderful kids. They're like OK, ok.
Speaker 1:We see a couple moments where she. She goes to talk to Michael. No, what's the baby's name? Yeah, michael, he's waxing his surfboard. And she? He explains he's gonna sell it. He has no use for it in New York, but he's gonna give it a go.
Speaker 1:One morning Abby comes over because she sees Eric putting the for sale sign in the front yard. She can tell he's a little bit down now. She seemed to be being a good aunt. I will give Abby this. Morning Abby comes over because she sees Eric putting the for sale sign in the front yard. She can tell he's a little bit down Now. She seems to be being a good aunt. I will give Abby this.
Speaker 1:She doesn't seem to have any beef with the kids. She doesn't do anything kind of shady to them. But I also don't know, because I know she wants that dealership real, real bad, so they can get those boozy automobiles in there and start selling them like hotcakes or so she thinks. Because it's 2025 and I've never really heard of this, I don't think it's gonna catch on. But hell who knows, maybe it does in north landing, maybe that's the next big thing. Anyway, she says listen, kid, I know this is rough, but new york is not bad. There's a lot of crappy places in the world you could live. New york is definitely not on the list of crappy places. You're gonna enjoy it. Enjoy it and wait till you see those East Coast girls. You're going to knock them dead. It's going to be such a good time Like just give your mom a break. If nothing else, your mom deserves a chance to live her best life.
Speaker 1:Now, this is where a little bit of a confusion comes in for me. Where is Karen's family, you would think, in this time where she's a widow? Where's Karen's family, you would think, in this time where she's a widow? Where's Karen's family? Where is Sid's family? I understand that Sid and Abby are 15 years apart, but that's not. That's not. That's not 50 years apart. You know what I'm saying. Plus, they had that nephew that came over, remember. He came over for dinner and I think he dated Karen uh, ginger's little sister for a little bit. I keep waiting for him to pop back up and I'm wondering who his parents are. So I'm just really surprised that no family has seen Karen's exes.
Speaker 1:Her friends are showing up left and right, she's getting dates out the wazoo, but no family. So the neighbors back to them, ginger and Valene specifically, you can tell Valene wants her to stay, but she doesn't want to tell her to stay. Lily may is pumped. Lily may is all about chasing a dream which makes valine roll her eyes. But lily may has a point. So they're, they're, uh, they're in valine's living room.
Speaker 1:Valine is doing some finishing touches on Jinder's outfit for the benefit. Lily Mae comes downstairs and they're all talking about it. Jinder's is like I don't want her to go. This is the worst news I've heard all day. And Lily Mae drops some of that.
Speaker 1:Good old Kentucky or wherever they're from wisdom, tennessee, I think she's like that is a young widow with three children. Her life is I'm paraphrasing here she's already had to start a new life. She deserves to start that where she wants to. If it's on the East Coast, then it's on the East Coast. Plus, everybody knows if anybody can handle anything. It's going to be Karen, she's going to be fine. This isn't somebody you need to worry about flailing somewhere. She's going to always be okay.
Speaker 1:But it doesn't make the decision any easier. One day at the dealership one of the top salesmen comes in and he's like hey, I heard you might be selling the place. I just need to know a little bit in advance. I'm not trying to pressure you, but if you are, I need to go ahead and start looking for a new job. And she's like dude, you're number one here. I'm just having conversations, it's just. I'm just talking right now.
Speaker 1:But if I did now, why would they fire you? You are the top salesman, you've got this. But there's something more. He doesn't really want to work for anyone else. He's. It's interesting. He's kind of having the same feeling. She is Obviously. Obviously he wasn't married to Sid, but he's worked for Sid for 15 years. So working for Sid's wife in some ways could feel like he's helping the family. They've become one family and changing that dynamic is not really something he wants to be a part of. And I can understand that You're a top salesman there. You're going to be a top salesman somewhere else.
Speaker 1:But as she's looking around I don't think she ever says it, but the, the business is Sid in a lot of ways. Although she's trying to make it her own, she's running it the best she can, it is still. It would kind of be like the last piece. Again, most of this is implied. They're not really saying it, so just know, she said yes, but it's also in the back of her mind that this may or may not be the best idea. It's just an idea. It's just going to change so much and that can be a little nerve wracking. Okay, vicky, vicky, vicky.
Speaker 1:Throughout the last bit of the show I just kept saying to myself what is her problem? It isn't just that Vicky is this powerful woman. She is kind of watering it down when she talks to other people. She doesn't talk to Karen terribly, but she definitely isn't speaking to her. There's something there Like you can't quite put your finger on it, like, okay, did I do something? Do you have a problem with me? Cause she keeps slipping? She'll, she'll let the real her problem with me because she keeps slipping. She'll, she'll let the real her say a couple things and then she'll kind of pepper it with something sweeter. But it's there, it's not even, like you know I said before, the way that karen talks about is kind of kind of talks down to her, but it's it's almost in a joking way like, oh, y'all here, go my country cousin, kind of like that kind of dismissive. This one is more like well, you got a life, you're doing what you're doing. Like, like, basically like she's her mom. There. There's a tone I don't appreciate as a full-grown woman. I know karen can't possibly appreciate it as a full-grown woman.
Speaker 1:So we get to the night of the event and it's in some sort of banquet hall, probably in a hotel right. This is where the claws come out. This woman, vicky, is miranda priestly. All over again. The devil definitely wears prada. Well, the devil, the devil wears victoria smith or whatever her name is. She is vicious. Karen, these cups suck. This is in the wrong spot.
Speaker 1:Did you get this together? Because she is barking orders. She is ushering her around like she is a stepchild that she despises, like the, like the mother in Cinderella. Barking orders. Karen is kind of taking it on the chin and she's doing this interview with the paper like, okay, the woman in the paper wants to know why did you invite battered women to an event like this? Don't you think that's kind of contradictory, as if battered women don't wear fly clothes? That's irrelevant. And Karen says no, you know this. This is about freedom, this is about power, and if one woman isn't free, then none of us are free, and I want all women to experience this. This is for the benefit of all women, especially those who aren't free, and I'm like you, better talk, karen. So she goes backstage at the barking orders of Vicky to kind of get her girls together. Now they're freaking out. Somebody stole Lily Mae's wig.
Speaker 1:Valene can't figure out what the hell she's putting on which is so real. Have you ever bought something? I have this shirt that I really, really love. It looks great on, but it's uh, it kind of wraps in a way, and I swear to you, every time I put it on it takes me a good like six minutes to get it on properly, because you'll put your arm in and then I can see that one wrap is like behind my head and it's not. It's very confusing and Val is struggling with this on the scale of like a big beaded dress. What the hell am I wearing? What is this part of Jinder's outfit isn't sequined enough. Uh, abby's supposed to be wearing a bathing suit, but it's gone, like it's just a lot of crap going on backstage. Thank god there's only five or six models.
Speaker 1:Vicky comes backstage to uh, I suppose help, probably not. But she tells him to break a leg but you better not mess up those dresses. And then, right before she leaves, she turns these stunts on him. She unzips her gown down a little bit more so she can get more clavicle, a little more chest. You know what I'm saying. She's trying to be a little sexier in her little black sequin number, which, I can admit, is pretty timeless. You could wear that today.
Speaker 1:Oh man, I didn't realize Laura was going to be in the fashion show, because on their show they don't always do things together, so it's not unusual for one woman to be there, one woman not to be there. Well, but they show her in the doctor's office and she's like no, you're not serious. And her doctor says, oh, but I am, you are, prego, my darling. And she's like well, damn, I was just about to leave, richard. So I'm starting, I'm doing the math. I thought she said they hadn't talked in two months. Talking doesn't mean we're not talking, if you know what I'm saying. So I guess they were.
Speaker 1:And now she's like, well, shit, what do I do? Oh, my god, what do I do? I guess I'm gonna go to this fashion show. She handles it quite easily. So I mean, I was definitely shocked, but there's just too much going on this episode. I was shocked, but I'm also kind of taking a page from her book. She. She seems as rattled as laura gets, which isn't very rattled, just like damn okay. Well, I guess I will handle that a little bit later. Let me go, uh, to my modeling debut. So back at the hotel, motel holiday.
Speaker 1:Yet a fashion show begins, and at first I was a little bit weirded out that vict Victoria is giving sort of a blow by blow, creating a fantasy for each one of these outfits. As women come out, valene finally figured out okay, these are supposed to be wings on this cape of a dress, and it makes so much sense when I see her. So of the few pictures I've ever seen of Knott's Landing, one of which came on when I would watch it on Amazon. I don't always watch it on Amazon, most of the time I watch it on the laptop, but here lately I've been wanting to watch it on the TV instead. There was a still of Valene with her arms kind of sprayed out. I was saying Big Bird, not in a derogatory sense, but if a human were to dress like Big Bird, which does not sound very nice. That's what she looked like and it's no fault of her own. It is 1982.
Speaker 1:Valine loves a icy, pale, frosted lip color which I kind of feel like dulls her complexion a little bit. That's just my opinion. But she's got her arms flailed out and I'm like is Valene at this? Mind you, I didn't know what this was. I'm like is Valene going to be in Vegas? I thought maybe it was a dream sequence we were going to see at some point. But no, it makes sense.
Speaker 1:She's in a fashion show. She is in a fashion show with the rest of the ladies and she's looking lovely. She goes around the room. She's modeling really well. This is also one of the first times I realized how real thin this woman is. I didn't realize she was that slim. I knew she was slim, but she is very, very frail, not in a bad way. Just just an observation.
Speaker 1:Gary and Richard are also there. They're sitting at a table and he's like dang, look at my girl, take that thing. Val, you look good. You can tell he likes what he sees. Well, he also likes what he sees a little later. So Jinder comes out next and her dress is super cute and I guess her story is more of like this is a lady who was young and hip. She's not afraid to make a statement with this sparkly, spangly outfit. Her turban would have been spangled, but it wasn't. She's just got her hair slicked back. Nothing but the face card. She looks lovely. She does a pretty good job of modeling.
Speaker 1:They bring out Abby and we all know Abby is stunning. She's a beautiful woman. But I'm like what the hell does? Abby's outfit up until this point doesn't really make sense. But I suppose it's supposed to be laundry like her nightgown, but it just looks like a regular degular 1980 or I'm on television from 1984 to about 1999. That just long silk. You know what I mean? That long silk gown. I guarantee your mother or grandma has the exact same gown. It's just. It seems very underwhelming compared to what else everybody else is wearing. But of course you're not going to be wearing sequins to bed. I suppose what Abby was saying is it was supposed to be maybe a swimsuit cover up, but they couldn't find the swimsuit. She just wears that and she looks fine. I mean she's beautiful. So that's never going to change. But Gary is like oh oh, you use. Oh oh, he makes me think. But he likes what he sees there too. Clearly he has a type.
Speaker 1:The piece de resistance comes out and it's diana. Now I'm thinking diana is gonna be in this beautiful sort of deep green dress she was wearing in the bedroom when karen decided they were going to move to new york, but instead, girl, she comes wearing in the bedroom when Karen decided they were going to move to New York but instead, girl, she comes out in like this traditional, in my opinion, a traditional sort of Russian everyday dress. Listen, I'm not international like that and I mean no disrespect to the Russian community if I am being disrespectful, but it just I've seen this in movies and when you think, think of Russian dancers, it's just like a regular, like a shorter prairie dress, basically it. It seems like it's from the 1800s. I do not feel like that's a modern thing. I think it's a very um, culturally, on probably Russian culture day, I'm sure there's people wearing this. I don't, I don't feel like I've seen that outside of that context. So now I'm like, well, what is? What is Vicky's vision at this point? I don't, and maybe she wanted to humiliate everybody. It just it just seems kind of weird to put it in the show, but I mean, whatever she insists that it's romantic. You're going to feel like you're on Anast. Yes, I'm anastasia. It's beautiful. She's got on the full fur hat, which I love those fur hats so much. I wish I lived somewhere where it was cold enough to wear those when they go backstage. So you get it.
Speaker 1:Everybody puts on a second outfit. Lily may comes out and let me tell you what this woman is never gonna miss the opportunity to perform. She found her wig and she is. I don't know what music is in her head, but it's killing. She is spinning. You gonna see this little pantsuit y'all like what I got on ow, ow, spin and twirl. Do this bang, bang. She killed it. Her and diana are the best models. All right, the fashion show continues.
Speaker 1:Laura shows up. She looks stunning. Laura looks like she's at the turn of the century, a little bit more, maybe like a 19. No, maybe like a 1930s, 1940s wealthy woman from New England about to go out on the town. She looks very lovely. It's got a beautiful little headpiece on.
Speaker 1:The show goes well. That's what we all need to know. The green dress does emerge at the very end. Everything goes well.
Speaker 1:So after the show, karen is picking up things in the showroom. You can't really tell she's bothered because she's got that Laura smirk on her face. But when Victoria comes out barking at her. The smirk gets a little bit bigger, like, okay, yeah, chick, I was waiting on you to say that. Um, miss ma'am, you have been talking to me like that all afternoon. I'm gonna need you to relax. I am not a child, victoria, not really ready for this comfort conversation.
Speaker 1:Slash confrontation, says well, I learned it from you. I learned how to organize from you. So I mean, technically, it's your fault. I'm talking to you like this. How immature is that answer. Come on now. It's pretty clear they want to have it out. So Vicky's like okay, bring it what you got on your mind, karen.
Speaker 1:Karen says you know, I run a business which is a small flex, where I have 75, 75, count them almost 100 employees. I don't talk to any one of them like the way that, like that I feel like you feel a way about me. What is your problem with me? They basically have it out. It's almost as if Vicky feels like Karen has thrown away a part of her life to have this sort of basic life. Like you are so smart you were one of the smartest people I've ever met you have kind of reduced yourself to this. Karen says but you're jealous of it. I can tell. I can tell by the way you speak. I see the way you look at my daughter. You want this. You are jealous that you don't have what I have, so you're trying to lash out at me.
Speaker 1:I forgot to mention this earlier, but Diana keeps using the word sacrifice, sacrifice, sacrifice, kind of like Abby saying this is an opportunity, an opportunity, opportunity. She's planting a seed, or someone has planted a seed. When someone keeps repeating themselves like that, you're like, okay, what do you? You want me to think that? Why do you want me to think that? And it's very clear that Vicky has been putting that, that sort of verbiage, into Diana's vocabulary, painting the picture of a mother who is so far removed from what she was going to be. And you know what, diana, if you're not careful, you're going to end up just like her. You're going to miss out on all your hopes and dreams. Maybe there's some truth to that, maybe there's not. I think the truth is right there in the middle.
Speaker 1:Both women are very successful at the thing that they focused on. Karen didn't know she would be this focused of a mother and have the successful of a family, but she's doing it. Victoria didn't have time for that and she focused on her business and she did so. They're both right. But there is where Karen is just like damn, I missed out a little bit. She's not unhappy with her life and you can tell that Victoria has missed out and she seems unhappy about what she is missing. There's a difference between wonder and kind of a woe.
Speaker 1:Diana overhears part of this conversation but she excuses herself for the first. I'm shocked. She behaves better in front of other people. I suppose karen basically tells victoria listen, girl, I ain't no way. I'm moving to new york to work with you. I wish you well. You know, that's kind of. That's pretty much the end of it. They're friends, but they're. They're clearly frenemies.
Speaker 1:Diana talks to victoria backstage and tells her that she also is not trying to go to new york and she doesn't want her to be mad. She overheard the conversation with her mother and Victoria tries to explain like girl, we're friends, listen, we've known each other a long time. Sometimes we go at it. It doesn't really mean anything, it's just I feel a way, she feels a way we're going to be fine. But Diana saw like okay, no, you know, I see my mom. My mom is a tough woman. She can admire her mother's strength.
Speaker 1:Yes, she's not this glamorous designer, but she's still caring, which is pretty impressive. Actually, I like this episode so much because, hey, oh my God, like 150 things happen. But also that's a very real thing, especially in relationship with women. I don't know if men go with this. Sometimes you latch on to someone who it's almost like you like it's. It's a weird sort of way of pushing yourself forward. Having someone to compare yourself to. It's not always a bad thing, but and they, whether they want it to? I mean, they pointed out this quite a bit but and they, whether they wanted to? I mean, they pointed out this quite a bit.
Speaker 1:Karen is so young, she's a very young widow. Her life is different, regardless at this point. It's always going to be different than what she planned, but it is very, very reasonable to expect her to change and evolve and go after something she really, really wants. Yes, she has kids, but I mean diana, apparently, is about to go off to college I don't know when that happened. Eric's right behind her, michael's not far behind. So I mean, within the next eight to ten years, she's going to be an empty nester. She has time, she has the ability, she has a very great support system that no longer includes her husband, but her neighbors are there for her. She, I mean, she would have been able to leave Diana. There was a brief conversation about, I suppose, if Diana didn't want to go, or one of the kids didn't want to go to New York, they could just stay with Val and finish school and head on to New York after the fact. So the support system is there, the infrastructure is there and you see Karen not necessarily coming into her own, I don't know how to explain it.
Speaker 1:This season, she she seems a lot more mellow to me actually than she did in seasons one and two. She was way more intense, but I guess she could play off of Sid. Now she's just, she's really just trying to find her way. That's all she's doing. She's being hit with a lot of things at all points Men trying to holler at her left and right. She is that girl in socal without all she does is go to work and go home and still every man in on the west coast is trying to holler at her. Oh, this is very good. This is very, very good.
Speaker 1:I am quite pleased with episode 13 of knots landing, although, yeah, I don't think I should react in real time now. I am ready to get to the bottom of this abby gary thing. Is there something going on? Because I thought you'd here. I am putting him back on my somewhat decent list, thinking he's like girl, stop flirting with me. But he's don't flirt with me with business. So what are you saying, sir? Oh, he's such a hoe, he really is. All right, guys, that's it. That's all. That's enough. Jaw jacking for this episode. Join me next time as we jump back into some vintage soap opera debauchery. In the meantime, in between time, let's normalize instructions for clothes. Sometimes they're confusing. Sometimes blouses and bangled, spangled, bedazzled outfits are difficult to put on. I'm just saying Stay hydrated, stay moisturized, mind your own business and keep all of your drama on TV. Thank you, bye.